International Baccalaureate Exams (IB)
International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit Policy 2022-2023
The International Baccalaureate (IB) exam assesses student work and measures students’ academic, intercultural and basic skills.
Credit may be earned for the International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations with scores of 4 or higher.
A score of 5, 6, or 7 on Higher Level exams is required to grade credit for IGETC certification
You can send in your scores to be awarded academic credit.
- Request your official IB Score Reports to be sent from Admissions and Records Office at your SMCCCD college
- Upon receipt of your official IB scores, the Admissions and Records Office will determine course/unit equivalencies according to the SMCCCD IB Credit equivalency guide, and post coursework and units to your SMCCCD transcripts.
- Grades and Grade Points will not be assigned to IB Credit.
The following chart outlines the application of credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) towards each SMCCCD College’s Coursework, Associate Degree General Education (GE) requirements, California State University General Education (GE) Breadth Certification, and Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) Certification.
If your SMCCCD college does not offer a course similar in content to an IB exam, the college will award credit in the General Education area shown on the California Community College General Education IB List. If there is no General Education area that aligns the IB exam, the College may award elective credit.
Please note:
- An acceptable IB scores for IGETC equates to either 3 semester or 4 quarter units for certification purposes.
- Students who have earned credit from an IB exam should not take a comparable college course because transfer credit will not be granted for both.
- If you have any questions regarding Math and English placement or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit please contact your counselor.
- If you plan to transfer to another institution, please be aware that every college/university has their own policies about Credit for Prior Learning. What was accepted at SMCCCD may not be accepted at another institution. Please consult your intended transfer institution.
All units listed are semester units.
SMCCCD IB Credit Equivalency Guide
|
IB Examination HL |
SMCCCD Course Equivalent |
SMCCCD Associate Degree GE Area (3 semester units with a minimum score of 5, unless otherwise indicated) |
CSU Credit Units (A minimum score of 5, unless otherwise indicated) |
CSU GE Breadth Area (3 semester units with a minimum score of 5, unless otherwise indicated) |
IGETC Area (3 semester units with a minimum score of 5) |
UC Credit Units |
|
Biology |
N/A |
Skyline & Cañada: B2 and B3 (4 units) CSM: E5A (4 units) |
6 |
B2 |
5B |
5.3 |
|
Chemistry |
CHEM 192 (score: 5,6) CHEM 210 (score: 7) |
Skyline & Cañada: B1 and B3 CSM: E5A AA/AS Units: CHEM 210 (5 units), CHEM 192 (4 units) |
6 |
B1 |
5A |
5.3 |
|
Economics |
N/A |
Skyline & Cañada: D CSM: E5B |
6 |
D |
4 |
5.3 |
|
Geography |
GEOG 100 |
Skyline & Cañada: D CSM: E5B |
6 |
D |
4 |
5.3 |
|
History (any Region) |
N/A |
Skyline & Cañada: C2 or D CSM: E5B or E5C |
6 |
C2 or D |
3B or 4 |
5.3 |
|
Language A Literature (Any Language) |
N/A |
Skyline & Cañada: C2 (Minimum Score of 4) CSM: E5C (Minimum Score of 4) |
6 (Minimum Score of 4) |
C2 (Minimum Score of 4) |
3B (1) |
5.3 |
|
Language A Language and Literature (Any Language) |
N/A |
Skyline & Cañada: C2 (Minimum Score of 4) CSM: E5C (Minimum Score of 4) |
6 (Minimum Score of 4) |
C2 (Minimum Score of 4) |
N/A |
5.3 |
|
Language B (any language) |
N/A |
N/A |
6 (Minimum Score 4) |
N/A |
6A |
5.3 |
|
Mathematics |
MATH 251 |
Skyline & Cañada: A3 (Minimum Score of 4) Meets Math Competency Requirement (5 units) CSM: C1 and E2C (Minimum Score of 4) (5 units) |
6 |
B4 (Minimum Score of 4) |
2 |
5.3 |
|
Physics |
PHYS 210, PHYS 220 |
Skyline & Cañada: B1 (4 units) CSM: E5A (4 units) |
6 |
B1 |
5A |
5.3 |
|
Psychology |
PSYC 100 |
Skyline & Cañada: D CSM: E5C |
3 |
D |
4 |
5.3 |
|
Theatre |
N/A |
Skyline & Cañada: C1 (Minimum Score of 4) CSM: E5C (Minimum Score of 4) |
6 |
C1 (Minimum Score of 4) |
3A |
5.3 |
(1) Students earn IGETC area 3B and 6A if they pass IB Language A Literature or Language A Language and Literature with any language except English.
